


flowers and tattoos; forests and coffee: introductions

by avestrum



Series: Shiratorizawa Fanweek 2020 [3]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop & Tattoo Parlor, Fluff, Gen, Language of Flowers, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Pre-Relationship, Tattooed Iwaizumi Hajime, Tattooed Kyoutani Kentarou, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-07-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:06:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25015942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avestrum/pseuds/avestrum
Summary: “Awh, you keeping an eye on me Mad Dog.” Kawanishi teases, just to watch Kyoutani’s cheeks blush prettily. “Don’t worry, Wakatoshi only sent me over when the rush died down, I’ll have plenty of time to spend with you.”Kyoutani’s blush only get worse. The smile on Kawanishi’s face spreads into a larger one that’s even more genuine.Day 3 of Shiratorizawa Week: Flower Shop/Tattoo Parlour AU
Relationships: Iwaizumi Hajime & Kyoutani Kentarou, Iwaizumi Hajime/Ushijima Wakatoshi, Kawanishi Taichi & Ushjima Wakatoshi, Kyoutani Kentarou/Kawanishi Taichi
Series: Shiratorizawa Fanweek 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1807795
Comments: 3
Kudos: 38
Collections: Shiratorizawa Fanweek 2020





	flowers and tattoos; forests and coffee: introductions

Kawanishi likes working for Ushijima. Who would have thought that one day the great Ushijima Wakatoshi, ex national volleyball player would open a small flower shop that's hidden away on a secluded street that's frequented by families and elderly women who appreciate the 'kind young men: who work there.

It is a comfortable position for him as he slowly weans himself off of working two jobs to pay for his (slowly disappearing) student debt after he dropped out of his major last year. So he works with Ushijima in the mornings from four am till five in the afternoon where Ushijima dismisses him so he can head to his apartment that's above the one Ushijima is renting above the shop for a quick shower, and then he's on his way for his closing shift at the bar just down the road from Ushijima's flowershop.

The shop across the street from Ushijima's has been empty for three months. That is until Kawanishi wakes up one morning on his day off (where he'll be helping Ushijima in the shop anyway because Ushijima overworks himself when he's caught up with the latest bloom) because there's a truck rumbling to a stop on the street and the windows so not stop the sound of movers from getting into the apartment. 

Sleepily, Kawanishi pulls himself out of bed and wanders over to the window to peer through it, all while lazily scratching at the short, ginger hairs under his bellybutton. There is a relatively small moving truck in front of the empty shop that's across the street. On the side of the truck is just a generic movers company, but it's then that Kawanishi notices that a new sign, although made of a temporary banner, is adorning the space above the entrance. 

_Aoba Tattoos and Piercings_ hangs over the entrance. White lettering across a black background and framed with teal icy curling around the borders of each letter. It's a beautifully designed sign and fits their neighbourhood, since they're almost at the border of the Aoba and Shiratorizawa wards. 

Distracted by his arm getting stuck in the hoodie that he had been trying to pull over his head to combat the cold breeze, Kawanishi turns away from the window to instead stretch his arms over his head. He'll have a quick shower and probably go downstairs to bug Ushijima about having breakfast since his friend is probably preoccupied with the new blooms that he's been waiting for all month.

His shower is quick, and he tosses on some skinny jeans and his hoodie once more before he trudged down the stairs to find Ushijima in front of the stove with a pan in hand. The small, vintage looking radio Ushijima likes, is playing soft music next to Ushijima's personal collection of succulents. They look like Ushijima has given them their weekly-three daily-whatever schedule they’re on watering. Kawanishi thumbs at a water droplet that sits on one of the rich burgundy leaves of the Aeonium that Ushijima claims reminds him of Tendou.

“New shop opening up across the road.” 

“Yes.” Ushijima glances up from the pan on the stove. “A tattoo shop. Could you bring them the arrangement I prepared last night?” 

“You prepared an arrangement?” Kawanishi snorts. “Is it like the ‘welcome to the block’ one you made last year for the bakery down the street?” 

“It is… similar.” Ushijima rubs the back of his neck. “Perhaps I should bring it down myself-”

“No it’s fine Wakatoshi.” Kawanishi interrupts with a smile, reaching over to snatch a piece of the omelette from Ushijima’s pan before he stretches his arms over his head. “I’ll run them over now and introduce myself, then maybe have some breakfast.

“Alright then.” Ushijima knows not to argue with him now, about eating the most important meal of the day. 

*

The arrangement in his hand isn’t as bad as Kawanishi assumed it would be once Ushijima mentioned it. It's pretty actually. Ushijima has added some colours that match the colours of Aoba Tattoos and Piercings' sign.

A bell rings when Kawanishi pushes the door open, alerting the man at the counter. Kawanishi knows that head, it’s Seijoh’s Ace from his second year of highschool, lifts his head from the binder on the counter and turns in his direction. Ushijima has mentioned Seijoh’s Ace before, at one point there was even a time where Ushijima stayed with the other man in America.

“Good morning Iwaizumi-san.” Kawanishi plasters a smile on his face, “Ushijima-san made the arrangement to welcome you to the block, I offered to bring it over and say hi.” 

Iwaizumi steps around the counter to walk up to him, taking the flower arrangement from his hands. “I’ll set this down. It’s Kawanishi, Right?.” Iwaizumi turns his head to bark something towards the back of the store. “Ken! One of the florists brought us flowers for the shop, come say hi.” 

There’s grumbling coming from the back room, before a head of blond pokes himself out of the curtain that blocks off an adjacent room. Kawanishi knows that blonde, bee-like hairstyle. Kyoutani Kentarou, the guy that replaced Iwaizumi once the third years of Aoba Johsai had graduated, as the Ace of Aoba Johsai. Kyoutani has filled out his teenage frame (although they all have now that they’re in their late twenties). 

Kyoutani’s scowl is still prominent as he glances around the shop and his gaze lands on Kawanishi. 

“Morning.” Kawanishi gives the blond a smile. Kyoutani looks good, even as he scrunches up his nose and turns away from them to go back to whatever he’s doing. 

“You remember Kyoutani right?” Iwaizumi gestures towards Kyoutani with one hand while the blonde starts fiddling at the reception desk for the parlour.

“Yeah. Hi.” Kawanishi gives him a wave. He can tell that Kyoutani is glancing at him out of the corner of his eye, despite wanting to look uninterested. “It’s been a while huh.” It’s safe to say that Seijoh’s Mad Dog really cleaned up his act after highschool. His arms are covered, which he guesses is normal for someone who works in a tattoo parlour. When he makes his way around the reception desk to reach for what Kawanishi thinks is a binder of artwork, his shirt rides up to reveal ink peeking out over his waistband. 

His bottom lip is adorned with two snakebite piercings, which make his bottom lip look plush and soft. _Does he bite his bottom lip a lot?_ Because Kawanishi can’t stop staring at them.

“Yeah.” Kyoutani mutters. Kawanishi barely catches the blush over Kyoutani’s cheeks as he then turns away from the conversation, leaving Kawanishi to look back to Iwaizumi. The older male is still looking over the flowers in the arrangement fondly, with a small smile on his face.

“I should get back, Ushijima is getting breakfast ready.” Kawanishi finally says, rubbing the back of his neck. 

“How is he?” Iwaizumi asks, fingers gently rubbing over the petals of the arrangement. “Doing well with the shop?” 

“Yeah, it’s been a big success, and he really loves flowers, you know, plants. It’s his thing.” Kawanishi hand pauses on the nape of his neck and he shrugs. “You should come over sometime, I think he’d like it.” 

“Oh? Yeah I think I will.” Iwaizumi smiles softly, Kawanishi has a feeling they’ll be seeing a lot more of him from now on. 

*

Ushijima sends him over to Aoba Tattoos and Piercings twelve more times that month alone, which is six more times than needed if he wants to believe Ushijima’s excuse that the flowers need to be replenished for the sake of the shop. Ushijima likes to tell him that the flower arrangements are because Iwaizumi asked for something to liven up the shops' interior, or that they need a new arrangement because sure the old one is wilting and had lost it's vibrancy, but really Kawanishi isn’t blind and he’s well aware that Ushijima is pining like a tree in the middle of a forest. 

Which is to say he’s pining a lot over Iwaizumi Hajime.

The arrangement he’s currently holding in his hand seems to be the most extreme; pink carnations, daffodils, paired off with red and white tulips. Kawanishi’s friend and boss is practically confessing his undying love to Iwaizumi at this rate. Kawanishi’s half expecting Ushijima to go out to the parlour one day and come back with something he’s allowed Iwaizumi to ink on him as part of his confession of his undying love, but knowing Ushijima’s awkwardness when it comes to talking about his feelings, that would still blow right over Iwaizumi’s head.

Either way, at least they’re not shooting the messenger. Kawanishi pushes through the doorway of Aoba Tattoos and Piercings, to be greeted by Kyoutani leaning on the front desk looking like he’s running on fumes. The blonde isn’t all that bad, in Kawanishi’s opinion, he has a decent sense of humour and he’s not bad to look at either, and when they’re both in the same vicinity as their senpai and bosses, they’re both rolling their eyes at how badly Ushijima and Iwaizumi pine over each other.

“Ushiwaka pining again?” Kyoutani asks gruffly, lifting his cheek from where it’s squashed into his palm. “Iwaizumi-san is with a client.”

“Then I’ll leave them in your good hands then.” Kawanishi says with what he hopes is a charming smile. All it gets out of Kyoutani is a huff and a raised eyebrow. He really does look tired. “When’s your lunch break?” Kawanishi asks impulsively as Kyoutani takes the arrangement of flowers from his hands.

“In... about ten minutes… why?” Kyoutani asks as he glances up from the flowers to the large clock on the wall of the parlour.

“You look dead on your feet Mad Dog-” Kyoutani grumbles but doesn’t dispute the nickname. “We can get some coffee. My treat.” 

“Aren’t you guys busy? Store looked full a bit ago.” Kyoutani asks while carefully putting the arrangement on the counter behind him, next to the other arrangements that are slowly beginning to lose some of their vibrancy. Kawanishi chuckles and leans on the counter of the front desk. 

“Awh, you keeping an eye on me Mad Dog.” Kawanishi teases, just to watch Kyoutani’s cheeks blush prettily. “Don’t worry, Wakatoshi only sent me over when the rush died down, I’ll have plenty of time to spend with you.”

Kyoutani’s blush only get worse. The smile on Kawanishi’s face spreads into a larger one that’s even more genuine. 

“Whatever, I’m gonna order the most expensive coffee you could think of.” Kyoutani says with his nose scrunched up. Kawanishi has seen the types of coffee Kyoutani drinks sometimes, they’re simple and Kawanishi doubts they have any sugar in them at all.

“Pretty sure you don’t like things that sweet.” 

“That doesn’t make sense, cause he sure does like you.” Iwaizumi says from their right. The older male is peeling off his gloves as his client stands behind him, still looking down at their tattoo in awe. Kyoutani’s face goes bright red, definitely making him look like some kind of bee-tomato hybrid. 

“Well isn’t that a fun fact.” Kawanishi smirks. “I mean it though, coffee on me, I’ll be back in ten Kyoutani-kun.” Kawanishi waves with his fingers as Kyoutani grumbles at Iwaizumi and shoves the arrangement of love proclamation flowers in his face, before he attends to the client with his shoulders up by his ears.

Well damn if that blush is cute. 

He thinks there’s a couple of flowers that might look good together… maybe Kyoutani would like them.


End file.
